


i'm all in

by wafflesofdoom



Category: Hit the Floor (TV)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-09
Updated: 2016-02-09
Packaged: 2018-05-19 09:22:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5962198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wafflesofdoom/pseuds/wafflesofdoom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>in the days following their kiss courtside, jude has a conversation with lucas that makes him question his newfound relationship with zero. until zero sets him straight on all his doubts, that is.</p>
<p>post 3x04.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i'm all in

It had been a whirlwind few days since they’d kissed courtside, the media storm that had followed taking the romance out of it all, really. Jude knew he was being selfish, but he kind of wanted to have Zero all to himself, and not have paparazzi going wild as soon as they saw the LA Devils newest superstar with his management _boyfriend_. 

Lionel, of course, was loving it. The LA Devils were on the front page of every magazine, sports sections and news anchors all jumping in to offer their thoughts and comments on Zero apparently dating a _man_. 

It was exhausting, but its not like he could complain - he finally had Zero the way he wanted him, so Jude just stopped watching the news, and kept to his office a bit more, hoping to ride out the media storm from behind a desk and pretend like it wasn’t taking a lot out of him.

He’d always been behind the scenes, taking care of messes Zero made and quietening any media frenzy Zero had been caught up in. Now he was front and centre, Jude Kincade, the boyfriend of an LA Devil. Not the boyfriend of a Devil **Girl** , of an _actual_ LA Devil basketball player. 

It was late on Thursday evening when he finally wrapped up his work for the day, Jude grabbing his phone and keys, and heading for the carpark. He hadn’t expected to run into Lucas, the agent standing in the foyer of the stadium, looking up from whatever he was reading on his phone when he heard Jude approach.

“Hey, Jude.”

“Hey.” Jude replied, offering the other man as much of a smile as he could muster.

“So. Zero is the guy you were so hung up on?”

Jude raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, I figured you knew.” 

“Why would I know?”  


“Zero.. He said he told you not to come meet me courtside after the game?”

Lucas shook his head. “Zero saw me when I was leaving - out of my own free will.”

“What?”

“Look, Jude, you’re a nice guy, and you’re a _great_ looking guy.” Lucas said. “But you come with way too much baggage, and I’m not into that. I wasn’t going to meet you courtside, Zero had nothing to do with it.”

Jude wasn’t sure what to say, or how to react. His hurt was probably written plainly across his face, because Lucas gave him what he assumed was supposed to be an encouraging smile.

“Good luck with Zero.” Lucas said, walking away without so much as a second glance.

Jude let out a shaky breath, his grip on his keys too tight, the metal digging into the palm of his hand. It had been a weird enough few days as it was, and talking to Lucas really hadn't helped with the strange, uneasy feeling he’d been trying to swallow down since Zero had kissed him after the game.

He knew it had all been too good to be true, Zero outing himself and the two of them finally being on the same page when it came to their relationship, and Lucas had just confirmed it for him.

Why was Zero lying to him _already_?

The question ran through his head over, and over again as he drove back to his apartment, not nearly enough of his focus on the road. Jude had never been in a relationship before, and his journey to be in what he thought was one hadn’t exactly been simple.

He kind of felt like he was way in over his head with all of it.

Exhausted, Jude unlocked his front door, not surprised to see Zero sitting on his couch, flicking through channels on his TV and eating a pizza. Zero had always treated Jude’s apartment as if it were his own, so why would today be any different?

“Nice to see you too.” Zero commented, raising an eyebrow at Jude’s defeated looking facial expression.

Jude tugged off his tie, tossing his suit jacket aside. “I ran into Lucas, when I was leaving the arena.”

“Oh yeah?” Zero didn’t react, his gaze still on whatever reality TV programme was playing in the background.

“Why did you lie to me?” Jude asked, standing across the room from Zero, his stomach in knots. 

“What?” Zero turned the TV off, turning to face Jude properly. 

“Lucas.” Jude said. “He told me he was never going to meet me courtside. Why did you lie to me about it?”

“To protect you, Jude.”

“Bullshit-“

“He was talking shit about you. He told me that you were used to being disappointed, so you'd deal with him not showing up.” Zero interrupted. “Jude, I didn’t want you to get hurt. Not by an asshole like him.”

“So why the change of heart, if you didn’t tell Lucas to stay away from me because you wanted me?” Jude said. “Do you even want this, Zero? Or is giving in to a relationship with me your way of protecting my feelings? I know I’m a little screwed up, but I can survive on my own.”

Zero looked at Jude, genuinely confused. “Are you really questioning whether or not I want this?”

“Yes.” Jude answered honestly.

“Jude, I kissed you in front of 20,000 people, and a _shit ton_ of media. I wouldn’t have outed myself like that if I wasn’t all in when it comes to you and me.” Zero said, not quite believing that Jude could seriously be thinking he didn’t want him.“Jude, you’ve seen what its been like the past couple of days. People are going crazy over this story, its insane!”

“Do you regret outing yourself then?”

“No.” Zero said, sincere. “Because I get to be with you, Jude. I told you, I love you. They can talk about this all they want, but the only two people who matter in all of this is you and me. I want to be with _you_.”

“Even if I do come with baggage?” Jude said, sitting down on the couch next to Zero with a heavily sigh, and a worried expression. 

“ _Jesus_ , Jude. Everyone comes with baggage, **me** more than most. I don’t care about any of that.” Zero studied Jude’s expression intently. “Are you really that bothered by what Lucas said to you? Because I can get another agent, hell, I’m going to get another agent no matter what you say.”

“I guess I am. I don’t know.” Jude took a deep breath. “I thought he actually liked me, you know? But he didn’t, and I - it just feels like you’re the only person who gives a shit about me sometimes, and I’m scared, Zero. I’m scared because if we screw this up, I’ll be on my own again, and I don’t know if I can bounce back from you breaking my heart again.”

“I can’t guarantee you anything, Jude.” Zero admitted. “I’m not good at relationships, and I‘m scared too, because no one has ever meant as much to me as you do. All I can tell you is that I’m all in, good and bad days. I’m not going anywhere. Alright?”

Jude nodded, blinking back tears he could feel starting to fall. “I’m all in too.”

“Don’t cry.” Zero said, smiling softly at him, the pad of his thumb wiping across Jude’s damp cheek. “We’re supposed to be happy, stupid.”

“If stupid is going to be your petname for me, Gideon, you and I are going to have words.” Jude mumbled, his cheek pressed against the comforting warmth of Zero’s hand.

“Call me that again.” Zero demanded.

“What, call you Gideon?”

“Its been a really long time since that name meant anything to me.” Zero admitted. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Jude was confused. “I’ve been such a downer since I walked through the door.”

“You make me _happy_ , Jude. A kind of happy I forgot I could be.” Zero said, pressing a soft kiss to Jude’s lips. “I missed you today.”

“I missed you.” Jude said, wrapping his arms around Zero’s shoulders, hugging him tightly. 

They’d kissed more times than Jude could count, but the weight of Zero’s body pressed against his in as innocent an embrace as they were in, a hug between two people who loved each other, meant more to him than any kiss, or touch had before. 

He was _tired_ , and he was _scared_ , and there was still a strange knot of worry in the back of his mind, terrified of what tomorrow would bring and what the media, or anyone else could do or say, but Jude figured he could deal with it. If Zero could come out the way he did, if he could sit down and have a conversation about feelings, no complaints, Jude could ignore TMZ and their never-ending stream of questions for the boyfriend of an LA Devil for a little longer. 

**Author's Note:**

> i've never written for these two before, but after reading every jude/zero fic ten times over, i couldn't help but add my own one to the mix.
> 
> hope you liked it!


End file.
